USPS Lost $721 Million In August 2009–Over $6 Billion YTD

The U.S. Postal Service filed its July 2009 (unaudited) preliminary financial report yesterday with the Postal Regulatory Commission. USPS reported a net income loss of $721 million (July 2009 was $865 million). The year-to-date deficit currently stands at approximately $6.3 billion. Mail volume was down across all classes with an overall total decrease of 13.2%. […]

Editorial: Postal Route Adjustments In Slow Times

As the current round of route adjustments nears completion (the last adjustments were put in place by September 19), we have preliminary totals on the impact. In the Bay-Valley District, about 260 routes were abolished-including auxiliaries. Adding in the 140 routes abolished this spring, that’s 400 routes altogether, close to 12% of the total for […]

PRC: The Future of Mail in the United States

Postal Regulatory Commission: “Within our regulatory framework, I would like to encourage a national conversation on the future of mail and hardcopy communications in the United States,” Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway. The Nation’s mail system faces serious financial challenges exacerbated by historic declines in mail volume. The Postal Service has responded by cutting costs, downsizing […]

House-Senate Panel Approves Measure to Keep Financially Troubled USPS Afloat

“A House-Senate panel on Thursday approved legislation to keep the government from closing down when the new budget year starts next week and employed a $4 billion bookkeeping maneuver to keep the financially troubled Postal Service afloat. The financially struggling Postal Service would be allowed to cover a budget shortfall by reducing its annual payment […]

USPS Incentive Offer Available to Postal Employees Seeking Disability Retirement

APWU News The union has received a number of inquiries recently seeking clarification about whether employees who retire on disability are eligible for the incentive negotiated by the APWU, President William Burrus said. “The agreement does not exclude such employees,” he noted. “The Memorandum of Understanding provides for an incentive of $15,000 for employees who retire […]

Union Address Concerns About USPS Retirement Incentive Offer

Burrus Update 15-2009, Sept. 22, 2009 The union has received inquiries about the possibility that some applicants for the $15,000 retirement/separation incentive may be excluded because the agreement negotiated by the union limits the number of recipients to 30,000. This concern is especially troubling for employees applying for Voluntary Early Retirement (VER), because the right […]

USPS, APWU Reach Settlement On Individual Retirement Counseling

APWU News The APWU and Postal Service reached a settlement [PDF] on Sept. 21 reaffirming management’s responsibility to provide individual retirement counseling to APWU-represented employees. In 2007, the Postal Service centralized its retirement counseling process, with specialists at the Human Resources Shared Services Center (HRSSC) providing counseling, primarily by phone. Management said the change was […]

USPS Board Of Governors Release Agenda For Upcoming Closed Meetings

Board of Governors schedule closed meetings again… Times and Dates: 6 p.m., Monday, September 21, 2009; 1 p.m., Tuesday, September 22, 2009; and 8 a.m., Wednesday, September 23, 2009. Place: Washington, DC, at U.S. Postal Service Headquarters, 475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW. Status: Closed. Matters to be Considered: Monday, September 21 at 6 p.m. (Closed)     […]

PMG Addresses Current Climate,Lays Foundation for Future Growth

Press Release U.S. Postal Service Named Third Most Trusted Company for Privacy WASHINGTON — In his annual state of the business address to the mailing industry, Postmaster General John E. Potter today outlined a roadmap for recovery and reaffirmed the Postal Service’s focus on adapting to changing customer needs and a changing marketplace.   Despite […]